Capitol City Visit

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Today, my goal is to come up with a couple of new creations. Recently, I've been focusing on custom orders (like the lanyard above), but now I want to get back to creating something more original. I just completed this unique piece in picture number 3 above, combining the romance of pearls and the toughness of industry with washer-like beads/rings. I love how it turned out! Different. Inspired. The earrings pictured are a new original creation of mine, too! You can visit their complete descriptions and listings here;

If you visit my shop, you'll also notice a new section. I bought some beads for a special order. They are called zebra shell beads due to the appearance of being striped. They were for an order for 6 bridesmaids necklaces fashioned after the one you see here (still available in my shop).

Unable to find the amount of beads I needed on etsy, or from my other suppliers, I ended up ordering them direct from a supplier in China! I was glad I found them, but I had to buy 23 strands of them to get what I needed, due to it being a wholesale site. Unfortunately, the pinks do not match the original necklace or the piece of fabric this bride sent me. So, now I have tons of these pink/black shell beads. They are a very bright fuchsia pink. Lovely, but just not the right color. Fortunately, the bride has been just awesome about this and I am still commissioned to make her bridesmaids necklaces, that will now be an original creation. Since I have the fabric, I will probably be buying the beads locally (if I can find any) to be sure they match. The whole point of this paragraph, however, is to let you know that my new shop section will be for some detash.....including these beads!

As anyone who beads seriously knows, there comes a point when you just have too many supplies. I guess I have reached that point. So, stop by my destash section and take a look. You'll never know what you'll find.

The new section also includes some origami discs made by a ten year old to raise money for a charity. The story is there on the origami listing. I hope some kind hearted people take advantage of this offer, too!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Hello, Readers! I apologize for not posting regularly in the last few months. I want to start getting back to posting at least a couple times a week. I have been busy filling some custom orders and starting my 2011 sales review. I'll be sharing some of my highs, lows, and insights from that as soon as I've finished!

In the meantime, enjoy some of my newest creations.

1) This piece is actually an identification badge holder or lanyard. It is made with swarovski crystals and european style, large hole beads. It is long enough to do "double duty" as a necklace, taking the owner from day to night, in accessories! Originally created as a custom order, the customer decided they wanted something different than this piece. It is brand new and available in my etsy shop!

2) Bali Sterling Silver Heart Charm Earrings. Lovely. Dainty. A great suggestion for a Valentine present. Appropriate for a teen, too! Available now in my etsy shop.

3) Genuine Amethyst Briolette Earrings, wrapped in Sterling Silver and hung from Sterling Silver leaver back earrings. A great and affordable pair of stunning, one of a kind, handcrafted earrings. I'm thinking these would look great with someone's prom dress! Also available now, in my etsy shop.

4) Pink Wire Wrapped Swarovski Crystal Ring. Stunning, one of a kind ring. Sorry, but this beauty was made as a custom order and is no longer available! It is lovely though, isn't it? The customer loved my Apple Blossom Viking Goddess Ring in my shop, but didn't want the large pearl or to have the crystal stick up as far as the pearl did! Well, after just a little consideration, I came up with this for her! She loved it! If you do too, please contact me via a comment here or on my etsy shop to discuss a custom ring for you!

5) Finally, a chunky statement style chainmaille bracelet made with aluminum jump rings and Swarovski Crystal Cosmic Rings. The clasp is lead-free, American made Pewter. This creation is available in my etsy shop, now! It would make a great Valentine present, as well! I had made myself one of these bracelets using Bermuda Blue Swarovski Cosmic rings and it is so comfortable to wear! I just had to make one for my shop! Available now!

So, Please stop by and view more details on these recent handcrafted pieces of beautiful jewelry! My etsy shop: Carol's Jewelry Orchard, can be found at:

Friday, January 13, 2012

Please note that I am canceling the give away of the valentine heart necklace from my shop due to the overwhelming lack of interest. Thanks for those who stopped by to read, but no one seems interested enough to enter the drawing.

You Must leave a comment on my blog (below) for each of the activities that you've done to enter (I will check the entries) AND tell me which of my creations in my shop you like best and why on at least one of the entries. You will also need to leave an e-mail that you can be reached at, in case you are the lucky winner! Thanks!

The contest will run from Today, January 11th, 2012 until February 6th, 2012 at 10pm EST.

The winner will be announced on February 7th, 2012 at 12 noon on my blog. The winner will be picked via random.org.

NOW, what do you win, you ask? You win the beautiful, dichroic heart pendant necklace pictured above. This piece features a large dichroic glass, multi-colored heart pendant that is 1.75 inches wide, hanging from red cotton cording and accented with sterling silver rounds, jumprings, and clasp. It is a unique piece, great for Valentine's Day. It will be shipped to the winner via first class USPS mail the day after the winner is announced (as long as the winner contacts me back with address information). You must live in the U.S. or Canada to enter/win this giveaway!

Thanks for visiting! I can't wait to see your visits and hear your comments!

Canceled due to lack of interest and no entries after 48 hours.

Please do not enter now! The giveaway has been cancelled! 1/13/12, 7:30pm CST.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

I find it kind of ironic that I am writing about this.....What will you do with your day? Rarely, have I responded to other posts in the etsy forums about what I intend to do with my day. However, I fear the topic I really wanted to post on, Technology and it's Effects on Relationships, will get me into some trouble, so I decided to change my post! LOL.

While I was thinking of posting, I also planted a few remaining paperwhite bulbs in some pearlite and placed them in a glass jar on my kitchen counter. For the last eight years, I have instructed elementary school children on the forcing of bulbs for my December Garden Club unit. Usually, I plant right along with them, but this year, due to having some very able high school volunteers, I disseminated only the information on bulbs and let one of the high schoolers help with the planting. I realized the only problem with this was that I did not have a bulb growing myself to take to garden club this month to discuss what we were all witnessing in our bulb containers. Now, I do. Garden Club is in 12 days. I know the students plants will be well ahead of mine but we will be able to use mine as a visual aide, since the students have long taken them home. I also left out what most of the students (inaccurately) feel is needed: SOIL! This should stimulate some good discussion.

Well, that all took only about 10 minutes of my Saturday! After I'm finished blogging, I will be gathering some beads and taking some pictures of them with my new light box (that I got as a Christmas present), thanks to my hubby! I have been commissioned to make two custom order lanyards for a customer in NYS! She saw three that I made for my sister-in-law (also as custom orders) that were given as holiday presents. These are pictured above. The new customer and I discussed some color options and today I start to create! I will also be making some more of my beaded bookmarks, as I am almost out of those and they are popular items for my shop!

Finally, when I need a break from my jewelry creations, I will continue taking down some Christmas decorations. I always have a backup activity when I am planning to create some new pieces, as sometimes the creative juices aren't flowing and I usually know this within a few minutes.......I try not to force it and step away from my workbench for a while.

If all that gets done or I need another distraction, I figure that I can always do yard work!!! This is really ridiculous for I live in the upper mid-west and we usually have over 30 inches of snow by now! We have none! The sun is out and it was over 50 degrees the other day! It almost seems as if spring is already here!

Well, as you can see I'll be busy today with Saturday jobs. Hopefully, you will find something interesting to do too! Enjoy your day! Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog! Comments are always welcome!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Enjoy the beautiful Sunset from last night and even prettier Sunrise from this morning! Now, I"m trying to remember that song that starts ...Sunrise, Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset, Swiftly flow the days...............or something like that. I'm sure it is about 30-40 years old! Anyway, as one year ends and another begins, we are all reminded about the passage of time. What signifies the passage of time for you?

Here are some literal symbols that connote the passage of time and some more symbolic or personally abstract ones;

A clock

An Alarm on the clock

The second hand on your watch

A school bell between periods

A calendar

A bridge

An anniversary

New Year's Eve

Time's Square

A wedding ring

A photograph

A Family Tree

The Sunrise

The Sunset

A Blog Post

The end of a great book or series of books.

Your child going to kindergarten.

Your child going to college.

Your child getting married.

Talking to your parents about when they were young.

The cost of a loaf of bread.

Historical Fiction.

The Washington Monument

The Pyramids.

A change in seasons.

The first snowfall.

Crocus and Daffodils Blooming.

A Pumpkin.

Well, you get the idea.........the list goes on and on. What signifies the passage of time for you? I'd love to hear your comments! Enjoy the passage of time, today, and always for you are only in this moment once!